It’s easy to find games on PC, but hard to find really great ones that you can’t get on a console. Some games feel like they were made just for PC, and once you finish one, you wanna jump onto another. As a PC gamer myself, I know the feeling and I can help you out. We’ll try to keep this list geared toward games that are only for PC or started only for PC, but some games play better on PC. You’re sure to find something you love, or something you’ll end up loving if you’re a PC gamer.
Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors is one of the most popular indie roguelike shoot ’em up games. It has a charming pixel art aesthetic, and a growing roster of characters, weapons, and relics.
The player controls a vampire who automatically attacks enemies as they move around the screen. The goal is to survive as long as you can against waves of increasingly powerful monsters. Learning Vampire Survivors is easy, but mastering it is hard. Survival depends on careful planning and execution. It’s also important for players to be aware of their surroundings and avoid hazards. You gain abilities and weapons as you progress through the levels, but if you die, you have to start over.
Roblox
Yes, we definitely mean Roblox. I know it seems like it’s just for kids because of the main demographic, but if you haven’t played a Roblox game in the genre you like, you’re missing out. While this isn’t necessarily only for PCs, I’ve tried it on consoles and mobile, it’s just not the same. My favorite tycoon games are those where you can just let them do their thing while you work or study.
You can also learn how to make games with Roblox and make some serious money. I highly recommend this.
Fortnite
Fortnite is not just for PC, but if you haven’t tried it on PC, you’re missing out. Because it’s a third-person shooter, it plays a lot better with a mouse. It’s also free, but the main reason we have this is the creative stuff. The Fortnite Island Creator stuff works way better on PC, as it’s based on the Unreal Engine, and if you want a career in games, this is a great place to start. Fortnite is fun to play as a game but it can be more fun to make your own islands and levels and watch players try to go through them.
My favorite part about Fortnite is that it’s not another FPS that just gives you different rules, it actually tries to be different. You can’t really compare Fortnite to Valorant the same way you can compare Valorant to Apex Legends. It’s really unique.
Related: 10 best Fortnite skins
RimWorld
While Rim World takes a lot of its gameplay from Dwarf Fortress, it’s a lot more forgiving and a lot more visually pleasing. Its storytelling and menus are far easier to navigate, and you feel like you have a lot more control over your survivors.
During the game, players must navigate the challenges of colonizing an alien world, which include weather conditions, wildlife, and hostile factions. AI-driven events and diverse colonists lead to emergent storytelling, so each playthrough is unique. The modding community also makes it far more replayable. It tends to have gripping stories, strategic depth, and the ability to adapt to player preferences, making it one of the better Dwarf Fortress clones.
FTL: Faster Than Light
A lot of games have tried to copy FTL: Faster Than Light. Some do it really well but are just not as fun, like Star Command: Galaxies, and some do it poorly and are not really fun, like Trigon. So far, FTL: Faster Than Light still remains king in a genre it created.
It combines real-time strategy with roguelike elements as players control a spaceship through randomly generated sectors, facing challenges and making decisions that could kill them. With its diverse crew, upgrades to ships, and strategic combat, the game offers a dynamic experience. Every playthrough offers a unique challenge and outcome, thanks to its unpredictability and permadeath system. If you’ve never played, you definitely should because it’s like its own genre.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition makes the original feel like it was made today. It still has a wide variety of civilizations, each with unique strengths, and each match feels so different. From architecture to units, the game pays close attention to historical accuracy. Multiplayer modes offer engaging competition, and single-player campaigns and scenarios offer both solo and cooperative challenges. When I was a kid, this was all we played in Computer class, and the fact that it still has a very supportive fanbase should be proof enough.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
If you like Star Wars at all and you haven’t played this gem, you need to stop waiting. It’s completely free and can be played as a single-player game with no problem. It lets you make choices and decisions, the story is so interesting, and it feels a lot like you are playing a single-player game online.
If you’re worried about fees, don’t worry. The only reason to pay is if you want some content faster, since almost nothing besides some rewards are locked behind paywalls, and you can play through the whole campaign without noticing. I love this game because you can play as different classes and the story changes so drastically, it’s great for anyone who even remotely likes Star Wars.
Related: All Spider-Man games, ranked
Diablo 4
Diablo 4’s immersive world, engaging gameplay, and captivating storyline have gotten rave reviews. It has an atmospheric setting with intricate lore that keeps players hooked. The game introduces new character classes and an open-world design, so you can play however you like, and it looks amazing compared to older games in the series.
Diablo 4 doesn’t really appeal to me because of the gameplay, but many people love it because it can get addicting even if you’re not a fan. Playing it, I find myself losing time as it’s so easy to pick up and play.
Crusader Kings 3
I don’t care what anyone says, this has a steep learning curve, and those who don’t think so came from the last game, so it’s easy for them. It does take time to get into Crusader Kings 3 if you’re just picking up the series. However, it’s so worth it because there are almost no games like it around. As you become accustomed to it, you find yourself making big plans and doing everything you can to maintain and grow your power.
Essentially, you become someone who lived in this time, and you use political intrigue, force, or money to try and expand your own influence. Due to the second’s very limited content (base game), we included the third game, which fixes many of the bugs from the second. You make the story as you play which doesn’t sound fun, but it’s always something you end up thinking about after your lineage ends.
Total War: Medieval 2 Definitive Edition
This is one of the best games ever made by Creative Assembly, and it has staying power like no other. It’s a blend of real-time strategy and turn-based tactics set in the medieval period. The intricate political, economic, and military systems give players a lot of options.
If you’re into the medieval ages at all, you have to try this game. I love that you can set your own series of events in motion and change history completely. There’s a lot of strategy and reward for risking it all. This has been one of my favorite series for a while, and even though the newest ones haven’t been as good, I know a winner is coming soon.
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord
This is another game on this list that basically created its own genre. You recruit NPCs to your army, sometimes one by one, and you train them and equip them. You can become a trader, warlord, or Lord in a kingdom, as you grow your own character and make them rich or powerful. Battles come with strategy, fighting requires you to pay attention to your enemy — similar to For Honor — and you’re not going to win every battle, but that’s okay.
I love this series, and while this game isn’t where it should be for a sequel, it definitely is an addicting game.
Dwarf Fortress
Its complexity, emergent storytelling, and depth have made Dwarf Fortress a cherished game. We’re speaking exclusively about the Steam version, which doesn’t look great, but that’s on purpose. As strange as that may sound, your imagination fills in the blanks better than any studio can. There are intricate systems governing everything from dwarf behavior to world generation that challenge players.
You have to keep dwarves alive and make a settlement where they can survive in a punishing world. Its steep learning curve is rewarding, but eventually, you will always lose. I remember my first loss was because I didn’t know how to feed my dwarves, but I was hooked. I eventually learned how to do this, and it’s a game I’m careful to pick up again since it consumes a lot of time.
Total War: Shogun 2
Yes, a second Total War game on this list. This one is different, though, because it’s like a new generation and does so much more than any other Total War game has. It’s the same as the previous entry, but it’s set in feudal Japan. Now, you really need to pay attention to your own towns because they care how you act and what you do. The battles look way more realistic, and the fights in the battles are movie-worthy.
Its faction dynamics and tactical combat mechanics add complexity, while the focus on samurai warfare and Japanese culture makes it fun. During my first battle, I accidentally set off a trap meant for my enemy, turning a 3 to 1 match into a 1 to 1 match. I barely won because my soldiers were beaten down by the explosions — yes, plural — I accidentally set off on my own samurai. As the game said, “It came down to a single sword stroke.”
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the only reason Starfield will have trouble getting Game of the Year in 2023. It’s not only a sequel to a beloved series, but it’s an indie studio that does everything it can to set a new standard for Triple-A games. Almost every outlet loves it for its intricate storytelling, vast world, and deep character development. It encourages exploration and choice-driven gameplay, allowing for diverse experiences. Not only that, but its combat makes you think about every action, which makes even the smallest battles satisfying to win.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Cleric multiclass build in BG3
Expeditions: Rome
Yes, I put a relatively unknown game in this spot, this is your reward. Expeditions: Rome is a highly slept-on game, but its combat is one you don’t see done well often. It has high historical accuracy, and the story is one you think about for weeks after. I wish I could replay it without knowing what’s coming because it’s so good.
Players can shape their own destiny as Roman legionnaires, as they make history that rivals Julius Caesar. Its intricate tactical combat system, detailed environments, and well-developed characters make it a great game. There are lots of choices, moral dilemmas, and branching narratives that affect the outcome. It combines strategy, role-playing elements, and historical authenticity to make the best PC game of all time, in my opinion.
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